82 



prominent than in the adult. The ventral fins were more de- 

 veloped than in the parent ; the caudal was rounded off, its cen- 

 tral rays being the longest. The soft portion of the dorsal and 

 of the anal, proved likewise proportionally higher than in the 

 adult, and extended posteriorly to the very base of the caudal, 

 perhaps beyond that region. 



Among the zoological features of the family of EmhiotocoidcE^ 

 a marked ventral area had been spoken of as one of the most 

 characteristic. Mr. Girard said that in several members of that 

 group which he had examined, that character was not found. 

 He, nevertheless, wished it to be understood that he did not under- 

 value the researches of others upon that ichthyic group, simply 

 giving here the result of his own investigations.' 



The family of Emhiotocoidce^ Mr. Girard further remarked, 

 seem to have representatives in the fresh — as well as in the 

 salt — waters of California, according to recent accounts,* in 

 which several genera are characterized and given as inhabitants 

 of the Sacramento River. 



A letter from Sir John Richardson to the President, on 

 some points in the osteology of the Mastodon and Fossil 

 Elephant, v^^as read to the Society. It inclosed a page from 

 the " Zoology of the Herald," now in course of publication 

 in London, with the following comments: — 



At page 102, it is stated that the scapula of the Mastodon does 

 not exhibit the remarkable depression which characterizes the 

 fragmentary shoulder-bones found at Swan River. Since I have 

 (through the kindness of the author) had an opportunity of con- 

 sulting Dr. Warren's excellent work on the Mastodon giganteus^f 

 I have discovered this assertion to be erroneous ; a depression in 

 the same part of the shoulder-blade of that species being noticed 

 in the text by that gentleman, and figured in his large plate. 

 The probability therefore is, that the Swan River bones belonged 

 to the Mastodon gigantens, and that the range of that species 



* Proc. Acad. Nat. Sc. of Philad. VII. July, 1854. 



t Description of the Mastodon f/iyanieiis, by John C. Warren, ]\I. D. Boston, 

 1852. 



